Microsoft Drops Office Starter Edition

Microsoft is dumping its Office Starter edition as Windows 8 and the next edition of the suite, dubbed Office 2013, near completion and release later this year and early next.

The company blamed a "bad user experience" in Windows 8 for the move.

ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley first reported on the demise of Office Starter 2010 earlier on Thursday.

Office Starter 2010, which Microsoft created in 2009, was the company's replacement for Microsoft Works, an entry-level application suite that had been offered to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for bundling with new PCs.

Read more at:
Microsoft Drops Office Starter Edition | PCWorld

 

[pparks1]

Don't particularly see a need for a basic starter edition any more. You can get cloud based versions of the office apps for free with your skydrive account.

 

[Kat]

Don't particularly see a need for a basic starter edition any more. You can get cloud based versions of the office apps for free with your skydrive account.

Um, no. It might be free NOW, but it won't stay that way.

I insist on my software being on MY machine.

I'll pay for software ONCE, I will NOT pay every time I want to use it.

Nor is having to have an internet connection to use software acceptable.

Still, I have office 2010, which will do me for the foreseeable future. And
there's always Open Office.......

 

[pparks1]

Um, no. It might be free NOW, but it won't stay that way.

I guess only time will tell. But right now today it is free, so use it freely. And if it's not free, there are alternatives like Google docs which are free. I honestly don't see Microsoft not providing these applications going forward for free, if their competitors do, MS is going to follow suit or lose users.

I insist on my software being on MY machine.

Nothing wrong with that. It is your choice. I'm a bit different in that I like to keep my machines as clean as possible. I only try to install what I absolutely must have...anything else is usually played with or evaluated on a virtual machine. Therefore, I have very little need for ongoing maintenance, reg cleaners, uninstallers, etc. If I occasionally need to make a spreadsheet or open one, I'd love not having to load Office (or pay for it), or load OpenOffice, but instead just use the online copy.

I'll pay for software ONCE, I will NOT pay every time I want to use it.

Again, it's a personal choice. I too would prefer to pay once, and only once. But considering the overall cost of something like Office and new versions every few years...it could actually come out cheaper to not buy it outright. It all depends upon the user. And you can continue to buy Office, you just won't be able to get Office Starter Edition (whatever that is..I know of nobody who actually has it, or has used it).

Nor is having to have an internet connection to use software acceptable.

Yeah, this is a hard one for lots of people. At my house, my internet is as reliable as my electricity. I rely on my Internet for Netflix, for HBO-GO, my online games, my telephone service, etc. This darn connection is nearly as valuable as my plumbing.

Still, I have office 2010, which will do me for the foreseeable future. And
there's always Open Office.......

Yes, having alternatives that are freely available is great. And that is what I like about having Office available online free of charge. I get the real deal, I don't have to install anything and it's 100% free (right now and for the forseeable future).

I used to use and recommend OpenOffice to everybody who wanted Microsoft Office and didn't want to pay for it. Now, I can recommend that they use Office for free online.

 

[FSeal]

Again, it's a personal choice. I too would prefer to pay once, and only once. But considering the overall cost of something like Office and new versions every few years...it could actually come out cheaper to not buy it outright. It all depends upon the user. And you can continue to buy Office, you just won't be able to get Office Starter Edition (whatever that is..I know of nobody who actually has it, or has used it).

We'll see, but Adobe is one of the first companies to adopt this model and no, the on line "subscription" is in fact more expensive than the buy one and upgrade every 3 years model. Unbelievably... That's the more likely future. Companies are using this as a way to INCREASE revenue, not decrease it. That means you pay more for the pleasure

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
an individual user will pay a LOT MORE for software if it's paid for "By Use" rather than just buy it once and use forever.
If people can't see this then please deplete your own Bank accounts so I can make money buying the Stock of the service provider. !!

Just look at the "Capping" of data downloads with some ISP providers -- you got switched from a seemingly more expensive "Unlimited" plan - albeit at that time with a slower download speed to what "appeared" to be an attractive cheaper option --but if you can refuse those offers DO SO.

Especially with the improvement in download speed -- fibre optic cable etc -- those 3 HD TV programs you've just watched via the Internet on your mega 60 inch plasma screen have just eaten up your "monthly" allocation of download.

I've got the software I need on my LOCAL machine --and if the OS changes so I'm forced to use the cloud I'll say FORGET IT and continue to run my stuff on a local machine as a VM. !!

The Cloud is CLOUD CUCKOO LAND.

Judging by what happened to the Nat West Bank (and others) in the UK recently -- still 6 DAYS on and a load of customers can't get access to their money, pay their bills or even query their accounts I'd have to ask would YOU trust everything to some off shored provider where you have ZERO control over what they are actually doing.

(At least for once the "Unthinkable" is being said) -- two years ago even to hint at this would have meant Instant dismissal in "Politically Correct" circles. !!

BBC News - Is outsourcing the cause of RBS debacle?

Repeat -- The Cloud is CLOUD CUCKOO LAND.

cheers
jimbo

 

[pparks1]

In the event that the future does indeed having us pay more, there is the advantage that we don't have to install, patch and maintain the software. Not sure that this would really be an advantage that most users are willing to pay extra for.

I don't see local installable software going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[FSeal]

Well currently you do need to install and maintain the software quite often it's not ALL browser based. I.e. the Adobe model is that you still install the software, but have to pay monthly to use it. Same goes for a lot of on line games...

 

[Kat]

Well currently you do need to install and maintain the software quite often it's not ALL browser based. I.e. the Adobe model is that you still install the software, but have to pay monthly to use it. Same goes for a lot of on line games...

And nor will I purchase a game that requires online authentication, or requires an internet connection to play.

 

[FSeal]

Heh well multiplay games require that just for the game play...

But my point was that though there may be cloud features, most cloud software still requires software download and install so the subscription price doesn't buy you any less heart ache there

 

[Hopachi]

Don't particularly see a need for a basic starter edition any more. You can get cloud based versions of the office apps for free with your skydrive account.

For all of us who don't mind installing:
Software installed locally will always be better / more reliable. Why are the hard-drives getting bigger in size every day if you keep them clean and use cloud programs.

But I agree that cloud apps will be better for the average joe because not everyone knows how to hassle with complicated installs or configurations and you just click on Word and it opens.

 

[Kat]

I multi-play over a LAN or split-screen.

I won't waste my (VERY limited) bandwidth (8GB/month) playing online.

 

[Coke Robot]

Don't particularly see a need for a basic starter edition any more. You can get cloud based versions of the office apps for free with your skydrive account.

Um, no. It might be free NOW, but it won't stay that way.

I insist on my software being on MY machine.

I'll pay for software ONCE, I will NOT pay every time I want to use it.

Nor is having to have an internet connection to use software acceptable.

Still, I have office 2010, which will do me for the foreseeable future. And
there's always Open Office.......

There's Office 2013 coming out next year.....

 

[Coke Robot]

From my experience using the Office Web Apps, they're dreadfully limited. I'll check them out again right now, but last that I saw, you couldn't even format a Word document to save your life. There wasn't even text wrap! Big issue.

PowerPoint Web App is also dreadful for me, an experience PowerPoint artist. Same issues as Word.

I don't know, I'll check them out to see what's new. From what I gather, its purpose seems more as an interim product to use when you don't have a full Office suite available (or a modern one) and you don't or can't use Office on a Windows Phone to type a full document up quickly and print it.

 

[Coke Robot]

Looks like Word fixed the word wrap issue, but still can't format the actual page. Four long lines of text doesn't translate into four lines of text on paper space. Overall though, I think Microsoft needs to make the Web Apps a little less stripped down because the Starter Edition of Office 2010 wasn't anywhere NEAR stripped down as the Web App. At least you could actually see what the formatting looks on the paper space and you could even take Word with you on a flash drive too...

 

[pparks1]

And nor will I purchase a game that requires online authentication, or requires an internet connection to play.

I'm alright with online authentication, but having to be online can be a real problem. The other annoying thing is when you are ready to sit down and play and you fire up your game only to find that you need 1.5GB of updates and they are coming down super slow.

So far, the games I'm playing which require being online are BF3 and Diablo III. Cannot play either one without a connection. But both are good games, so it's alright by me.

 

[robinbredin]

You could at one time download the starter edition, but it was still a handy edition if you did not want to splash out on the full edition.

Edit: The 32bit version from the link,

Microsoft Office Starter 2010 free download - Software reviews, downloads, news, free trials, freeware and full commercial software - Downloadcrew